A Prayer of Thanksgiving after the Congregational Vote

Dear COAH,

After a long search process of nearly two years, we finally voted Rev. Daehyuk Jeon as our fourth senior pastor. At the beginning of the process, I expected that it would be a difficult journey. Looking back, yes, it WAS an arduous journey. Now that we have gone through the process, I can say that it would not have been possible without God's grace. I am reminded of the verse in Proverbs, "A man may plan his way in his heart, but it is the Lord who directs his steps" (Proverbs 16:9).

With the voting behind us, we still need to work on uniting divided hearts. We all desired to seek and reflect God's will when we voted. Some said yes, and some others said no. While we recognize our differences, it's time to work toward unity. I pray that the Holy Spirit will touch all our hearts and guide us to follow the Spirit (Ephesians 4:3).

On a personal note, I am relieved that my successor is finally in place. This brings a sense of closure to a long and challenging process. I need the next few months to wrap up my ministry and start emptying my office for my successor. Meanwhile, Rev. Jeon will need to return to Korea to finish the teaching duty of the fall semester, during which time he and I will meet via video calls to work on the handover.

As you know, I have been immobilized for the past three weeks due to an ankle injury. I will need to be in a cast for another three weeks. I apologize for the inconvenience this may have caused many of you. Thank you for your prayers and love. Again, I want to thank everyone involved in this search process and give all the glory and thanks to God for leading us to this point. May God continue to watch over our church and use us for His glory.

Blessings,
Pastor Minho Song